CHAPTER TWELVE
( ! midsummers ! )

MARLEY WAS SAT on her bed next to kie who had come over to hang out before they had to part ways and each get ready for midsummers.

midsummers was a yearly party hosted at the cameron house that all kook club members attended. the only time someone from the cut was able to come was if they were working.

marleys dad made a big deal out of the event, wanting to make sure people knew he was the brother of ward cameron. so, the household would always walk in with the cameron's to make an entrance.

"i can't believe we have to go to midsummers," complained kie as marley nodded. kie was known to hate having to dress up and pretend to be someone she's not.

"i mean, we do it every year," replied marley as kie sighed, "i know! but it's stupid and useless. it is just another way for the rich to show off that they are rich while the poor get it shoved in their faces that they are poor."

a sudden knock was heard from marleys door and the two girls looked up to see victoria, or marleys stepmom, smiling at them.

"you girls talking about all the fun we will have at midsummers?" questioned the older women as marley tried not to roll her eyes. it wasn't completely victoria's fault that the younger girl didn't like her, marley just didn't enjoy the fake smile and the need to look perfect victoria had.

victoria also wasn't the kindest when talking about marleys mother or friends, which had an affect on marleys view on the women.

"we were actually talking about why we don't like it," replied marley already bored of the women in front of her being there.

victoria just let out a sickly sweet laugh and stepped in the room, before joining the girls on the bed, "what's not to like? we get to socialize with all our friends and have a grand old time!"

marley had to try and stop the massive eye roll that wanted to happen as kie tried to smile, "i guess we just don't really like many of the people who attend the party, we'd rather be with our friends."

victoria's persona dropped for a second before she smiled again, "why would you rather hang out with street trash than your own people?"

marley sighed, annoyed by the conversation, "goodbye victoria." victoria smiled at the girl before standing up and walking out.

marley looked at kie, "i hope you now see why i don't like her. she sends those comments at me all the time and they get into my dads head and he's started to believe it more and more."

kie looks at the girl in sympathy, that being the first time victoria has said a comment like that around kie.

after a few more hours, kie had to leave to go home and get ready. once kie was gone, marley went back up to her room to take a shower.

once she got out of the shower, marley quickly threw random clothes on.

the girl had a perfectly planned way to get everything done and still have time to help her sister with her hair and makeup.

so, first marley did her hair. she had naturally wavy hair so it wasn't the hardest part. all she did was put some product in it before she began to dry her hair.

once her hair was wavy and parted down the center of her head, marley began on her makeup. the makeup was going to be the trickiest part of the look, seeing as the girl was trying something new.

she started by applying pink eyeshadow along her eyes and down on her cheeks. she then added silver glitter on top of the left sides pink. it was definitely going to stand out. the girl then filled in her eyebrows, wanting them a bit darker before she applied a tinted gloss that made her lips a bit pinker.

the girl was naturally pretty and didn't need much makeup to go with what she had done. she quickly finished before heading towards her closet where she dress was hung up.

the dress was a simple black with spaghetti straps. marley decided to have a more complex makeup look with a simple dress so she wouldn't overdue it.

once the dress was on, the girl smiled to herself as she slipped on her slightly heeled black shoes.

marley heard a small knock and turned to see her sister at the door. "hey squirt, i'll be there in one second." berkley nodded before heading back towards her own room.

marley quickly slipped on her pink sweater over the black dress, it was a thin fabric that wouldn't keep her warm if it was cold but would keep her from shivering in a small chill.

marley walked into berkleys room to see the young girls dress laying on her bed. berkley was sat at her vanity with drying hair as she looked at herself in the mirror with a small frown.

the older of the two walked up behind the younger girl and wrapped her arms around berkley, "what's on your mind?"

berkley sighed, "it's just, you look so pretty and how am i suppose to live up to that." marley smiled at her little sister, "berkley you're the prettiest girl i've ever met. if anything, i'll be the one trying to live up to how amazing you'll look once i'm done with you, okay?"

the younger girl nodded with a smile and marley got to work.

she dried her sisters hair before she turned it into a beautiful wave. marley then brushed out her sisters hair before she added the big flower crown on top of her sisters head.

marley turned berkley to face her as marley applied a bit of lip gloss and mascara to her sister before smiling, "that's all you need."

berkley smiled and hugged her sister as a thanks before marley walked out to let her little sister change.

berkley soon opened the door to reveal herself in a pretty white dress that ended just above her knees. marley smiled at her sister, "like i said, now i've gotta live up to how pretty you are."

the younger of the two smiled as marley wrapped her arm around her sister and led them both downstairs. they'd be meeting with her dads brother and his kids soon.

the two walked into the kitchen and their father smiled at them, "look at my beautiful daughters." berkley smiled while marley just looked at her dad with a small chuckle before he took out his camera and began taking photos.

the girls posed together and made faces at the camera as they laughed. it felt good for marley to be able to smile and feel happy around her dad again, feeling like they'd be able to maybe get back to where they were when she was younger.

but, nothing lasts forever and the fun was quickly stopped when the step-monster victoria came in and began to make out with their father. marley quickly shielded berkleys eyes and turned around herself, not enjoying the view.

once the two adults stopped their make out session, the four headed out of the house and towards the cameron house to meet up with their family.

when they made it inside, marleys dad went to his brother and the two began to chat. victoria and rose chatted, wheezie and berkley went off, and marley was left to stand alone.

that is until rafe cameron walked in the room and smirked at his unsuspecting cousin, "hey marley jeen, hows jj? ego bruised enough after he lost so badly at the movies?"

marley just rolled her eyes, "he's fine rafe, you didn't even dent the boys ego." rafe just laughed at that, "oh, i'd like to see about that. don't you feel any shame? slumming it around with those dirty pogues?"

"we have a different definition of who the dirty ones are, rafe." responded the girl making rafe angry that he was unable to get under her skin.

"i think i'll need to teach that little boyfriend of yours another lesson," rafe smirked when he saw marley squeeze her hand shut, trying to not rip his throat out right that moment.

the day was saved by marleys new guardian angel, sarah, who walked over to the two and looked at her brother, "can you go torment someone else? you're not needed here."

rafe rolled his eyes before walking off and mumbling about the women in the family. marley smiled at sarah, "you look really pretty, sarah."

"thanks marley jeen, so do you." marley smiled in thanks before deciding something, "hey sarah, call me marley. all my friends do."

sarah smiled at her cousin and nodded. it felt good for her to finally break through the wall marley kept around herself and her friends.

the two watched as the adults began to make their grand entrance once a bunch of guests had arrived. they looked at each other and laughed before being ushered to join in the attention.

the two walked out side by side smiling at the people around them, they had both been taught how to act in front of the rich and powerful people on the island.

everyone was clapping for the family but marley was looking around for kie and pope. she knew the two would be there because kie was also a member of the club and pope always worked the event with his dad.

she spotted the duo as they flared daggers towards the family, neither of them seeing their friend in the group they were glaring at.

marley smiled before she ran over to them. once the two noticed the girl, their glares turned to smiles as marley hugged both of them.

"hey you two," smiled marley as she stood in front of them. pope looked at the girl with a smile before asking a question he had asked kie a bit earlier, "hey mar, have you heard from jj?"

marleys smile dropped for a split second before she tried to hide her worry, which her friends immediately saw, "uh, no i haven't... but i bet he's okay, right?"

kie nodded, "of course he's okay mar. just like i told pope, he has the survival instincts of a cockroach."

marley nodded as she tried to calm her pounding chest. kie noticed her friends worried look and smiled, "how about we go dance and try to forget how fucked up this whole party is, okay?"

marley nodded as kie dragged her away and pope went back to help his dad. the girls began to dance around together and just enjoy the night.

it soon became dark and the two girls were on the side having water, they had been dancing for what felt like hours and they were both getting very tired.

marley was quickly pulled back onto the dance floor by her little sister. even if she was tired, she'd never be able to say no to berkley and they both knew that.

so, marley twirled around her little sister and danced with her until she felt another presence and heard a voice, "hey gorgeous."

marley turned around, ready to slap someone, but when she saw who it was she immediately engulfed them in a hug.

"jj!"

jj laughed as he wrapped his arms around the girls waist. she pulled away and looked at the boy with a smile before noticing the new cuts and bruises all over his face.

she traced a bruise with her finger, "what happened?" jj grabbed her hand in his, "just my dad. nothing to worry about, okay?"

she nodded after a second before dropping the subject, which jj was happy about, "what are you doing here?"

"i'm on a mission," responded the boy as marley looked at him confused, "what's the mission?" he smiled at her, "i need to find miss sarah cameron and deliver to her a note from vlad."

"wait, who's vlad?"

"no clue. i think john b, he needs me to give her a note and i saw you and decided that you'd be my guide to sarah." responded jj as marley nodded before looking around.

she soon spotted her cousin dancing with wheezie and pointed them out, "over there is your missing girl."

jj looked over and smiled, "thanks! oh marley, you look amazing by the way." a blush could be seen from ten feet away on the girls face after jj said that.

"thank you jj. and you look very handsome in that tux," smiled the girl before kissing his cheek and sending the boy off towards her cousin.

marley smiled to herself as she watched jj walk off when she heard someone cough from behind her. marley turned around to see her little sister smirking back at her.

"don't even start," states marley as she pulled her sister off the dance floor. marley looked towards her dad and noticed he was waving for the two sisters to go over to him.

marley led berkley towards their father and smiled at their uncle who was by their dads side.

"hi uncle ward," smiled marley as she gave the man a hug. "hey marley jeen," smiled the man as he gave berkley a hug.

marley excused herself from the conversation and turned around and began talking to a girl her age that was a member of the club.

the two chatted and made small talk for a bit until marley felt her father put his hand on her shoulder. he led her back over towards her sister and victoria when marley saw jj being dragged out by security, the boy was causing a big scene as he left.

marley watched as jj was dragged past her and began trying to go towards him, her dad holding her back.

marley made eye contact with kie as she heard jj yell out, "it's okay everybody! do not panic! leave it to the men and women in uniform. let's hear it for them! rose! you look like lady liberty."

the guard continued to drag jj as marley yelled out, "let go of him!" everyone turned to her and her father tried to silence her, "marley-"

the guard looked at marley, "excuse me ma'am?"

"i invited him here! i'm apart of this club!" continues marley as kie adds, "yeah and you can't just boot him!"

marleys dad continued to try and stop his daughter while kies parents did the same. victoria just looked around at everyone, completely embarrassed.

jj then pushed the guard and looked at the girls, "hey, mandatory power hour at rixon's." he turned towards pope, "pope, you as well, all right? rixon's cove. let's roll."

kie quickly ran from her family's grip towards jj. jj looked back at marley, "mar! come on!" he grabbed his wrist with his other hand, "workers of the world unite! throw off your chains!"

marleys dad got close to her ear, "this is what i'm talking about with your-"

"i'm sorry dad," marley quickly tried to get away but victoria grabbed her arm. jj looked at her again, "come on pretty girl let's do it!"

"sorry," stated marley as she maneuvered out of victoria's grasp. she quickly kissed her sister on the head before she began running towards where john b and jj had met up with kie next to them.

marleys dad had started yelling for her to come back just as she made it halfway towards the group.

pope soon left his dad, apologizing as he did, and his dad was very mad.

jj turned around as marley ran towards the group. he opened his arms out for the girl and once she was in his arms, he begun spinning her around making marley laugh.

john b, kie, and pope hugged as john b yelled, "later losers!" the group of five quickly ran off and away from the party, three of them leaving behind very angry and disappointed parents.